This is the space in your home that is almost never perfectly clean and ordered. But this is quite normal, the name of this room says it best – this is the place that shows your house is full of life.

This is the place where you and the other members of your family spend most time and the place that is most frequently visited by your guests. There are a lot of activities that happen there.

The question is, what can you do to keep this living area in a good order? Here are my advices.

Get Things Going

The first thing that I suggest you to do, is to take a minute to think about the functions of your particular living or family room.

Some people’s living rooms are not ‘living’ at all, but only sit there and collect dust instead.

If yours is such, try to be creative and make something to use this home area and enjoy it better. After all, this is a large space in the centre of your home – it is a pity not to take advantage of it the best possible way.

So, like I already said, think of the way you and your family use your living room. What are its functions and what is the difference between the living room and the other rooms in your home? We know every home and every family is has its specifics, but I will try to help you by suggesting you some of the common functions and purposes of the usual living room:

• A place where the family gathers to have some rest and communicate to each other.
• A place where people invite their guests.
• Area for TV watching.
• Area for games.
• Area for listening to music.
• A place for Internet.
• A place to read (books, newspapers, etc.).
• A place where children do their homework.
• A place for other hobbies (including craft activities).

You can add many other functions typical for your family room. You can even consult with the other family members when making this list. They might give you some useful ideas and remind you of some functions you have already forgotten. You can also discuss with them the way you want this room to develop. You can tell them your ideas and ask them about theirs. Talk about the present activities and whether you prefer them to remain the same or some of you want to add or remove some of them.

The space in the living room can help you decide if the present situation is optimal. If you feel the place is cluttered and overwrought, this means there are too much items and things in it. In such case, you have to move some of the functions to another room or free some space by optimising the room’s uses.